Story by Janell Ford April 14, 2021 at 05:18PM Fort Irwin soldiers, residents and employees began feeling the effects of historic southern California wildfires in September 2020, as the flames and smoke entered the National Training Center and Fort Irwin, even though the installation is more than hour from the nearest wildfire. More than 19,000 firefighters battled more than 8,000 wildfires burning across nearly four million acres in the state. More than 26 people died and thousands of homes evacuated and reduced to ashes.
